Countdown 2009

The last few days before a tournament are the worst, because you want to get it over with, and there’s nothing you can do to speed up the clock. By now I’ve done this enough to know what to expect, and not to get too nutty about it, but no one has ever done it enough not to get a little nutty. People who have done this with me know not to expect sanity on my part until the last kid is shooed out of the building Saturday night, which is true of all the tournament directors I know. As JV says, that’s one of the reasons we have people we trust in tab, because they don’t get crazy like you do when it’s your own tournament. They provide the necessary level of sanity that is beyond your grasp for the weekend. Thank God.

This is also the period of dwindlement. The final bell was rung last night, and the number has sunk to about 10 less than I expected, and then a few more get the creeping crud or potato blight or general malaise over the next few days and don’t show up, but at least those get paid for anyhow. After all, I’ve bought food for them, whether or not they show up to eat it. Coaches who disagree with this policy are welcome to grab a slice or two of pizza and bring it back with them Saturday night. But as far as I know, no one who knows anything about tournaments does disagree. We all know what’s what. It has ever been thus.

This year I’m taking Thursday off to get things organized, rather than waiting until the last minute Friday morning. This should be a real improvement. For some reason I always feel as if I have plenty of time on Friday, and then the next thing I know I’m running around like the proverbial headless chicken, picking up trophies and loading the car and whatnot, and always forgetting something important. This way I can forget something important a day early and beat the rush.

Things to do on Thursday:
1. Organize crappy prizes, including the Jon Cruz Award. (My lips are sealed regarding this year's recipient.)
2. Organize TRPC: enter strikes and ratings, etc.
3. Pack up supplies: paper, tape, pen (for O’C, who never thinks to carry one), computers, printer, cords, ink cartridges, money chests (for candy table), etc.
4. Take my mother to the bank. I realize this has nothing to do with Bump but she called and said she needs to go to the bank, and maybe this means I’ll finally get my hands on the legendary Menick Millions, so what the hell.
5. Other etc., not included in the previous etcs.

Things to do on Friday:
1. Sleep late.
2. Nourishing hot breakfast.
3. Trophies
4. Pick up lunch.
5. Arrive at school
6. Oy, Part One

Things to do on Saturday:
1. Oy, Part Two
2. Alumni Dinner

People who dream about running their own tournaments (and there are more of these than you would suspect, despite the insanity of it, not to mention the scarcity of weekends on which to do it), are invited to read my notes on running tournament on the Bump website. Or, follow me around with a video cam, notepad and salty treats over the coming weekend, and see for yourself.